Necktie knot forming device



March 1, 1966 H. KANTER ETAL NECKTIE KNOT FORMING DEVICE Filed June l5, 1965 F I G. 4 JJINVENTORS BY M1 /f/af,

mm /Z/ ATTOR N EY United States Patent O 3,237,208 NECKTIE KNOT FORMING DEVICE Harry Kanter, 535 E. 86th St., New York, N.Y., and Robert Kaliman, 612 Forest Hill Drive, Wilmington, N.C.

Filed June 15, 1965, Ser. No. 464,084 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-153) The present invention relates generally to improvements in articles of neckwear and it relates more particularly to an improved necktie of the pretied type which is provided with fastening means permitting its releasable attachment to a collar, neckband or the like.

The proper tying of a knot in a necktie around the neck of a wearer is not only frequently time-consuming,

but requires a high degree of skill which is often lacking in many wearers of neckties. It has accordingly been a `common practice to provide neckties with a preformed considerable problems in the art. Some drawbacks of the pretied neckties described in the aforesaid patents are obfviated by the pretied necktie described in the above copending patent application. The present device further limproves the necktie in effectively minimizing the visibility of the attaching units when positioned on the collar, and

"also minimizing 'any undue pressure of the attaching unit `on the neck of the wearer with the consequent elimina- ,tion of discomfort. vice is simpler and more economical to produce and it Moreover, the present improved deprovides a knot of normal and natural appearance.

It is therefore a principal object of the present inven- 'tion to provide an improved article of neckwear of the above preknotted or pretied type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide `an improved pretied necktie in which the support and ``knot former member is substantially invisible when in use.

A further object olf the present invention is to provide an improved pretied necktie which may be worn with a maximum of comfort.

Still Aa 'further object of the present invention is to provide an improved pretied necktie which may .be easily l.secured in its assembled condition and which simultaneously therewith provides a more natural looking, less rigid appearance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above nature characterized by its versatility, adaptability, ruggedness, tlow cost and ease, convenience a-nd comfort of use.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURLFJ 1 is a fragmentary side view in perspective showing a pretied necktie embodying the present invention illustrated in position on the collar of the shirt of a wearer;

FIGURE 2 is a rear fragmentary view of the assembled necktie;

FIGURE 3 -is a sectional View taken along line 3--3 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective View of the necktie support and former device; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a necktie 3,237,208 Patented Mar.` 1, 1966 ICC advantageously employed with the present support and former device.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a support and former device 4for pretied neckties comprising a .former member including a pair of symmetrically disposed wing elements projecting laterally from the medial axis thereof, a rearwardly bowed clamp arm hinged to the upper part of said former member between said wings and swingable between a closed position with its free end adjacent to the bottom of said `former member and an open reanwardly directed position, the rear apex of said clamp arm when in said closed position :being rearwardly spaced from the rea-r face of said former member a distance of between .25 and .40 inch, preferably .30 inch, and spring means urgi-ng said clamp arm toward said closed position.

According to a preferred form of the present device the former member is formed of pressed fiberboard and the side edges of the wing elements converge downwardly to` a medially located bottom apex which is downwardly rearwardly inclined. A recess is formed in the upper edge of the former member and a medial vertical channel is formed in the front face thereof extending from the base of the recess to a point above the former bottom apex. A vertical mounting arm is medially disposed along the front face of the former member and is fastened at its bottom to the former member apex. A pair of laterally spaced vertical slits is :formed in the upper part of the mounting arm and delineates an intermediate longitudinal leg registering with the former member channel and a pair of outer resilient longitudinal legs. The intermediate leg terminates at its top in a forwardly directed crotch section and the side legs termin-ate at their tops in rearwardly directed crotch sections. The clamp arm is provided at its top with a rearwardly directed leg and an arm depends from the rear edge of said leg .and terminates in a laterally extending rectangular cross-bar which is engaged by the mounting arm crotch Asections to Ialternatively urge the clamp arm to an open or closed position.

`Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the pretied or .preknotted tie which is illustrated as attached to the band of a col-lar 111 of a shirt i12 on la wearer W. The knot K of the tie 10 is formed on and supported and releasably attached to the neck band by an improved tie or knot former and support device 13 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The device 13 comprises a knot yformer and support member 14, a mounting arm 16, and a clamp arm y17.

The former member 14 is formed of a rigid somewhat lresilient material, advantageously ya pressed iiber board having a thickness, for example, of about .080 inch, and is of approximately triangular coniigur-ation with a .bottom medially located downwardly rearwardly inclined apex section 18 as best shown in FIG. 4, and a pair of ylaterally rearwardly directed wings 19 symmetrical to the vertical medial axis of the Aformer member 14. The side edges 20 of the former member converge downwardly to the apex `18 and the upper edges 21 thereof are substantially horizontal. A shallow relatively wide rst recess 22 is medially formed in the upper edge 2'1 a shallow relatively narrow recess 23 is medially formed in the base edge of the recess 22. Formed in the front Kface of the former member y14 is a vertical forwardly yfacing medial channel or rabbet 24 which extends downwardly from the base of the recess 23 to a point above the apex section 18. The base 26 of the channel or rabbet 24 is downwardly forwardly inclined and meets the wall of the former member at the bottom point of the channel 24. An anchoring aperture 27 is formed in the apex section 18.

The mounting arm 16 is formed of resilient sheet metal and is medially disposed along the :front face of the former member y14. The bottom of the arm 16 is tapered to a downwardly rearwardly inclined apex section 33 which substantially overlies the front face of the apex 18 yand is lprovided with an yaperture 34. The mounting arlm 16 is secured to the former member 14 by a rivet 32 which registers with the apertures 27 and 34 and engages the borders thereof.

The upper part of the mounting arm 16 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced vertical slits which divides the arm upper section into a pair of laterally spaced resilient outer legs 42, and an inner resilient leg 43 intermediate the legs 42, the leg y43 lregistering 'with the channel or rabbet 24 Iand joining the base part of the arm 16 at about the level of the bottom of the channel or rabbit 24. The legs 42 terminate at their upper -free ends in rearwardly facing knuckle dening crotch sections 44 and the leg 43 terminates at its upper free end in a forwardly facing knuckle delining crotch section 45.

Swingably supported by the knuckles 4'4 and 46 and cooperating with the former member apex 18 to define a fastening device is the clamp arm 17 comprising angularly related upper and lower legs 48 and 49 respectively, joined by an integrally formed crotch section S whereby the clamp arm 17 is rearwardly bowed. It is important that the included angle between the upper and lower legs 48 and 49 is between 115 and 135, preferably 125, and that the distance between the crotch 50 at its apex and the rear tace of the former member 514, that is at its closest point to the crotch 50, is between .25 and .40 inch, preferably .30 inch, when the clamp arm 17 is in its fully closed position with the bottom of vthe leg 49 substantially engaging the apex 18.

The arrangement for swingably supporting they clamp arm 17 and alternatively urging it to its open and closed positions includes a rectangular cross-bar 51 which is engaged ybetween the opposite facing knuckles 44 and 46. The cross-bar 51 is disposed at the lower edge of and integrally formed |with a short leg 52 depending from the forward edge of an arm 53 which projects forward-ly from the upper edge of the leg 48. The clamp arm lower leg 49 terminates in a nger piece defining rounded bottom leg 54 which is rearwardly downwardly inclined to provide a forwardly convex curved section at the level of and closely adjacent to the apex 18 when the clamp arm 17 is in its closed position. The action of the knuckles 44 and 46 on the edges of the cross-bar 51 urges the clamp arm 17 alternatively to its open lor closed position.

In employing the improved former and support device 13 described above, a tie T, preferably shorter than the conventional tie, i.e. about 35 inches, is laced about the former member 14 to form a knot K in the well known manner, such as described in the above-identied Kanter patents. The tie T is advantageously provided lwith suitably positioned apertures 57, spaced about 4 inches apart, along to what corresponds to the upper rear edge of the knot Iforming section 58 thereof to facilitate the knotting of the tie T on the for-mer member 14 without impeding the locking assembly. As seen in FIG- URE 3 of the drawing, the clamp arm leg 53 registers with the apertures 57.

AIt can be sen from the above that the tie support and former device y13 is simple, compact and inexpensive. It is easy to knot a tie thereon and the resulting knot is attractive and highly adjustable to suit any taste. Moreover, the preknotted necktie employing the device 13 may be easily and rapidly applied to neckbands and collars of any conventional type and is inconspicuous, firmly worn and very comfortable.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A support and former device for pretied neckties comprising a forme-r member including a pair of sym- -metrically disposed wing element-s projecting reanwardly and laterally from the medial axis thereof and having outer side edges converging downwardly to a medially disposed bottom apex, said former member having a media-lly disposed recess formed in the upper edge thereof and a vertically extending medial rabbet formed in the front face thereof from the base of said recess to a point above said apex, a mounting arm contiguous to said `former member front -face and extend-ing along said medial axis and secured at its llo-wer end thereto, said mounting arm having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal slits formed therein to delineate an intermediate resilient longitudinal leg registering with said channel and a pair of outer resilient longitudinal legs, said intermediate and outer legs terminating at their tops in fonwardly and rearwardly directed crotch'sections respectively, and a reanwardly bowed clamp arm provided at its upper part with a forwardly and downwardly directed section terminating in a lateral rectangular crossabar disposed between and engaged by said crotch sections, said clamp arm being resiliently urged by said resilient legs to a closed position with the lower lpart thereof adjacent to said `former member apex.

2. The support and former device of claim 1 wherein said former member apex is rearwardly downwardly inclined, said mounting arm having an apex which abuts and is co-extensive with said former member apex and is likewise rearwardly downwardly inclined, both of said apexes being formed with registering apertures, and a lfastener through said apertures.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,907,045 10/1-959 OReil-ly 2-150 2,958,870 11/1960 Johnson 2-153 2,972,750 2/1961 Kanter 2-153 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,350,150 12/1962 France.

290,266 4/ 195 3y Switzerland.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Examiner, 

1. A SUPPORT AND FORMER DEVICE FOR PRETIED NECKTIES COMPRISING A FORMER MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED WING ELEMENTS PROJECTING REARWARDLY AND LATERALLY FROM THE MEDIAL AXIS THEREOF AND HAVING OUTER SIDE EDGES CONVERGING DOWNWARDLY TO A MEDIALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN APEX, SAID FORMER MEMBER HAVING A MEDIALLY DISPOSED RECESS FORMED IN THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF AND A VERTICALLY EXTENDING MEDIAL RABBET FORMED IN THE FRONT FACE THEREOF FROM THE BASE OF SAID RECESS TO A POINT ABOVE SAID APEX, A MOUNTING ARM CONTIGUOUS TO SAID FORMER MEMBER FRONT FACE AND EXTENDING ALONG SAID MEDIAL AXIS AND SECURED AT ITS LOWER END THERETO, SAID MOUNTING ARM HAVING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED LONGITUDINAL SLITS 